Kael took a deliberate step forward, silver eyes narrowed to sharp focus. He raised one hand, gesturing with unmistakable authority. "Mira. Sera. Take the others and leave. Now."
The words cut through the tense silence like a blade through silk.
Mira blinked in disbelief. "Wait. What?"
"Absolutely not," Sera snapped immediately, shaking her head as she nocked another arrow with practiced efficiency. "You can't seriously think you can take him alone."
Kael didn't look back at them, his gaze locked on Lord Arid. "I need space. Full concentration. If he's even half as powerful as I think he is, you'll only get in my way."
Mira's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "We can help you. We're not useless."
Kael turned his head just slightly, enough for them to see his profile. "And if you die trying? Who saves the royals then? Who completes the mission?"
That question made them both freeze.
His eyes shifted briefly toward the bound royals, still shaken, too stunned by the revelation to speak or move. "Get them somewhere safe. Away from here. That's your mission now."
Sera's jaw clenched visibly, clearly irritated by his commanding tone. But strangely, she found she couldn't argue. Mira looked like she desperately wanted to protest, but in the end she just bit her lip hard and gave a reluctant nod.
"Fine," Sera growled through gritted teeth. "But if you die down here, I'm dragging your spirit back just so I can kill you myself."
Kael's lips curved into a crooked grin. "Deal."
Without further argument, Mira and Sera began herding the royals away. They descended the slope of fractured stone carefully, shadows swallowing them as they moved deeper into the gorge's twisted passages.
Kael stood alone now, facing Lord Arid.
As the others' footsteps faded completely, the noble's amused grin slowly dissolved. Something darker surfaced beneath, a cold, simmering rage that had been lurking just beneath his cultivated veneer.
"So..." His voice dropped several degrees, becoming cold and low. "You actually believe you can stand against me? Alone?"
Kael shifted his stance, weight balanced perfectly on the balls of his feet, dagger held low and ready. "I know I can."
Arid's expression darkened further, shadows seeming to deepen around him. "I despise paper tigers like you the most. All growl, no bite." His eyes glinted dangerously. "I sincerely hope this isn't something you come to regret in the next few seconds."
Kael's smirk widened with genuine confidence. "Don't worry..."
His dagger gleamed as he exploded forward in a blur of enhanced speed.
"...I won't."
SWOOSH!
Steel met shadow.
Kael arced his blade low, aiming precisely for Arid's exposed ribcage...
'Dusk Step'
In a swirl of black mist, the noble vanished completely.
But Kael had anticipated exactly that. He twisted mid-strike, his Predator's Instincts screaming a warning. His enhanced awareness pulled his attention sharply left. He ducked.
'Phantom Edge'
A blade constructed of pure solidified shadow hissed through the space where his head had been a heartbeat before.
Kael dropped into a roll and lashed out with his leg. His boot connected solidly with something, Arid's shin.
The noble stumbled, but recovered almost instantly. He raised his hand with fingers spread wide.
'Shadow Grasp'
His own shadow twisted impossibly, shooting up from the ground like a living serpent. It coiled around Kael's calf, locking tight like an iron shackle.
Kael's eyes widened fractionally.
His Abyssal Fang Dagger hummed softly, residual power gathering along its edge. He lunged downward, slashing through the shadow binding his leg.
The construct cracked audibly, then dissolved into harmless wisps of darkness.
Kael threw himself backward immediately, spinning to create distance. He landed in a defensive crouch, breathing steady and controlled as his eyes scanned the surrounding darkness.
Arid stood opposite him, shadows swirling at his feet like loyal hounds.
"You're faster than I anticipated," Arid admitted, genuine surprise coloring his tone.
Kael's lips curved slightly. "And you're slower than I expected."
Arid's smile vanished instantly, replaced by cold fury. His next movement was explosive, driven by wounded pride.
Kael surged forward to meet the attack head-on.
Their blades clashed with ringing force. Sparks flew where steel met shadow. The two combatants danced under the pale, flickering glow of distant torchlight filtering down from the gorge's rim.
Kael executed two perfect parries, deflecting strikes that would have opened arteries. He ducked beneath a sweeping horizontal arc and immediately countered with a thrust aimed at Arid's exposed throat.
But the attack was too direct, too obvious.
Arid leaned back with inhuman flexibility, letting the blade scrape harmlessly along his coat without even marking the fabric.
But Kael wasn't finished. He feinted right, twisted his entire frame, and came in low with a vicious stab aimed for the noble's thigh.
Arid sidestepped fluidly, then vanished again with another Dusk Step.
He reappeared directly behind Kael, a shadow blade already forming.
The weapon slashed out at neck level.
Kael twisted at the absolute last second, throwing up his arm defensively. The shadow blade carved a line along his forearm, drawing blood in a thin crimson line.
But he didn't cry out. Didn't even flinch.
Instead, he grinned through gritted teeth.
His Adaptive Regeneration activated immediately. The wound pulsed with warmth as flesh began knitting itself back together slowly but visibly.
"You heal remarkably fast," Arid muttered, genuine interest flickering in his eyes.
Kael's response was to lunge again without hesitation.
Shadow scraped against steel in a shower of sparks as their weapons collided mid-air. Kael's strikes became more instinctive now, less reserved, flowing naturally from one attack to the next.
His Night Predator trait amplified his vision dramatically. He could read the faintest shifts in Arid's shoulders, the subtle weight transfers in his hips, the minute tensions in his fingers that telegraphed incoming attacks.
Kael moved like water flowing over stone, fluid, relentless, adapting to every obstacle. His blade flicked upward, meeting Arid's descending shadow slash with a metallic 'clang' that echoed through the gorge.
The impact forced Kael back half a step, heels digging into cracked earth. Arid immediately pressed his advantage, sweeping low with a follow-up strike designed to sever tendons.
Kael jumped, clearing the blade by inches.
He landed in a tight crouch, grit crunching beneath his boots. Before Arid could fully recover his guard, Kael darted forward with his dagger tracing a tight arc toward the noble's ribs.
Arid managed to block, but the force still knocked him sideways a step.
Kael chased the momentum relentlessly. Each step was sharp and purposeful. He didn't give Arid room to breathe or think. A rapid series of precise jabs followed, one, two, three, and the fourth forced Arid to duck or risk losing half his jaw to the wickedly sharp edge.
But Kael didn't stop there. He spun smoothly, the blade flipping in his grip, then struck downward with all his enhanced strength behind the blow.
Arid barely managed to intercept with his own shadow blade. The weapons locked together, their faces suddenly inches apart. Sweat and fury marked every line of their features.
"You're not half bad," Arid muttered through clenched teeth, actual respect coloring his words now.
Kael's reply came as a low, dangerous growl. "You talk far too much."
He twisted his weapon sharply, trying to break the lock and create an opening. Arid resisted for two full seconds, muscles straining, then released his hold explosively with a burst of shadow magic.
He vanished from Kael's immediate reach, reappearing several paces away.
Both combatants stood breathing harder now, reassessing each other with new understanding.
This wasn't going to be a quick fight. And both of them knew it.